Display apparatus and control method thereof

ABSTRACT

A display apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. The display apparatus includes a receiver, an image processor, a display and a controller. The receiver receives an image of content in the form image segments. The image processor processes the image of content received via the receiver. The display displays the processed image of content. The controller controls the image processor to display an image corresponding to one viewpoint of the image of content, and display information about a display quality of at least one image segment based on reception states of the image segments. With this, the display apparatus may provide the information about display quality for the at least one segment of the image of content, thereby allowing a user to watch the image of content while smoothly moving a viewpoint.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No.10-2016-0155256, filed on Nov. 21, 2016 in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in itsentirety by reference.

BACKGROUND Field

Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate toa display apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularlyto a display apparatus, which provides an image of content that a usercan watch while smoothly moving his viewpoint, and a control methodthereof.

Description of Related Art

A display apparatus may provide various images of contents. A 360 degreeimage is an image implemented by a technology, which captures apanoramic image with several cameras or with a camera having a pluralityof lenses mounted thereon and which maps the captured panoramic imageonto a virtual space. The virtual space is displayed on a screen toprovide the user with a sense as if he is in a real space and thusenable the user interact with and sense the screen. To provide the 360degree image, the display apparatus provides converts the image beingdisplayed according to a viewpoint selected by the user, converting aspherical image into a planar image, or zooming in or out of the imagebeing displayed.

If the image of content is a 360 degree image, since its data is largerin size than a typical image, the display apparatus may be configured toreceive only those segments of the image, which are being watched orexpected to be watched by the user, rather than receiving all segmentsof the image at once. Also, if the display apparatus uses adaptivestreaming, which automatically perceives a network environment toadaptively change resolution of image and transmit thechanged-resolution image, the 360 degree image may have differentresolutions for different segments thereof received at different times.

Thus, for to the related art display apparatus as described above, thereis a problem in that if a viewer changes a viewpoint while watching the360 degree image, she or he may be prevented from smoothly watching the360 degree image due to unexpected buffering or lowered resolution.

SUMMARY

One or more exemplary embodiments may address at least the aboveproblems and/or disadvantages and other disadvantages not describedabove. Also, the exemplary embodiments are not required to overcome thedisadvantages described above, and may not overcome any of the problemsdescribed above.

One or more exemplary embodiments may provide a display apparatus, whichprovide information about display quality for at least one segment of animage of content according to a reception state of segments of the imageof content, thereby, if the image of content is a 360 degree image,allowing a user to smoothly move a viewpoint while watching the image,and a control method thereof.

According to an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, there is provided adisplay apparatus including: a receiver configured to receive aplurality of image segments; an image processor configured to processthe image segments received via the receiver; a display configured todisplay the processed image segments; and a controller configured togenerate a content image mapped to three dimensional (3D) object basedon the plurality of image segments received via the receiver, controlthe image processor to display an image corresponding to a firstviewpoint of the generated content image, and control the imageprocessor to display information about a display quality of an image ofat least one adjacent viewpoint adjacent to the image of the firstviewpoint being currently displayed, based on reception states of theimage segments. Accordingly, the user may smoothly move the viewpointwhile watching the image of content.

The display quality may include at least one of a speed in which animage segment corresponding to the at least one adjacent viewpoint isreceived, an extent to which the image segment of the at least oneadjacent viewpoint is received, a playable time of the image segment ofthe at least one adjacent viewpoint, and a resolution of the imagesegment of the at least one adjacent viewpoint. Thus, the displayapparatus may provide various types of information about the displayquality for the user.

The controller may be configured to display a degree of the displayquality as text. Thus, the information about display quality may beprecisely conveyed.

The controller may be configured to display on the display, a userinterface (UI) including at least one graphic having a sizecorresponding to a degree of the display quality. Thus, the informationabout display quality may be provided via an intuitive interface,thereby improving the apparatus's usability.

The controller may be configured to display on the display, a firstcolor in response to the display quality being a first level, and asecond color, different from the first color, in response to the displayquality being a second level higher than the first level. Thus, the usermay intuitively know the degree of the display quality according to thecolors.

The controller may be configured to display a third color between thefirst color and the second color on the display in response to thedisplay quality being a third level between the first level and thesecond level. Thus, a color corresponding to an intermediate level ofdisplay quality may be introduced.

The controller may be configured to display on the display, an arrowindicating a direction of at least one image segment having a degree ofdisplay quality higher than that of other image segments or indicating adirection of at least one image segment having a degree of displayquality lower than that of other image segments. Thus, the user may beprovided with a guide to a direction in which to move the viewpoint forsmoothly watching the image of content.

The controller may be configured to display the information aboutdisplay quality on an edge of the display corresponding to a directionof the least one adjacent viewpoint, for example, the direction of atleast one image segment. Thus, various exemplary embodiments, whichprovide the information about display quality, may be introduced.

The controller may be configured to display the information about thedisplay quality on the display in response to the first viewpoint beingmoved after having been stopped. Thus, various exemplary embodiments areprovided for a point in time at which to provide the information aboutthe display quality.

The controller may be configured to display the information about thedisplay quality on the display in response to the first viewpoint beingmoved and coming within a predetermined distance from a border betweenthe image segments. Thus, various exemplary embodiments for the point oftime at which to provide the information about display quality may beintroduced.

The controller may be configured to display the information aboutdisplay quality on the display in response to a degree of the displayquality being lower than a predetermined critical level. Thus, variousexemplary embodiments for the point of time at which to provide theinformation about display quality may be introduced.

The controller may be configured to display the information aboutdisplay quality on the display in response to the display quality beingchanging more than a predetermined amount. Thus, various exemplaryembodiments for the point of time at which to provide the informationabout display quality may be introduced.

According to an aspect of another exemplary embodiment, there isprovided a control method of a display apparatus including: receiving aplurality of image segments; processing the received image segments; anddisplaying the processed image segments, wherein the displayingcomprises generating a content image mapped to three dimensional (3D)object based on the plurality of received image segments, displaying animage corresponding to a first viewpoint from among the generatedcontent image, and displaying information about a display quality for animage of at least one adjacent viewpoint adjacent to the image of thefirst viewpoint being currently displayed, based on reception states ofthe image segments. Accordingly, the user may smoothly move theviewpoint while watching the image of content.

The display quality may include at least one of a speed at which animage segment corresponding to the at least one adjacent viewpoint hasbeen received, an extent to which the image segment of the at least oneadjacent viewpoint has been received, a playable time of the imagesegment of the at least one adjacent viewpoint, and a resolution of theimage segment of the at least one adjacent viewpoint. Thus, the displayapparatus may provide various information about display quality for theuser.

The displaying the information about the display quality may includedisplaying a degree of the display quality as text. Thus, theinformation about display quality may be precisely conveyed.

The displaying the information about the display quality may includedisplaying on the display, a user interface (UI) including at least onegraphic having a size corresponding to a degree of the display quality.Thus, the information about display quality may be provided via anintuitive interface, thereby improving the apparatus's usability.

The displaying information about the display quality may includedisplaying a first color in response to the display quality being afirst level, and displaying a second color in response to the displayquality being a second level higher than the first level. Thus, the usermay intuitively know the degree of display quality according to thecolors.

The displaying information about display quality may include displayinga third color between the first color and the second color in responseto the display quality being a third level between the first level andthe second level. Thus, a color corresponding to an intermediate degreeof display quality may be introduced.

The displaying information about the display quality may includedisplaying an arrow indicating a direction of at least one image segmenthaving a degree of display quality higher than that of other imagesegments or indicating a direction of at least one image segment havinga degree of display quality lower than that of other image segments.Thus, the user may be provided with a guide to a direction in which tomove the viewpoint for smoothly watching the image of content.

The displaying information about display quality may include displayingthe information about the display quality on an edge of the displaycorresponding to a direction of the least one adjacent viewpoint, forexample, the direction of at least one image segment. Thus, variousexemplary embodiments, which provide the information about displayquality, may be introduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other exemplary aspects, features, and advantages ofexemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be more apparentfrom the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a display apparatus according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 2 illustrates a process of processing a 360 degree image accordingto an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of the display apparatus according toan exemplary embodiment

FIG. 4 illustrates an image of content divided in a plurality ofsegments according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of providing a user interface (UI)including at least one item having a size corresponding to a degree ofdisplay quality according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 illustrates another example of providing a UI including at leastone items having a color corresponding to the degree of display qualityaccording to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of providing information about displayquality on edges corresponding to directions toward segments of adjacentviewpoints from among an image being displayed, to have sizescorresponding to the degrees of display quality according to anotherexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8 illustrates another example of providing information aboutdisplay quality on edges corresponding to directions toward segments ofadjacent viewpoints from among an image being displayed, to have colorscorresponding to the degrees of display quality according to anotherexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of providing an arrow to indicate adirection where the display quality is high according to anotherexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of providing the information aboutdisplay quality when a viewpoint is moved according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 11 illustrates an example in which the viewpoint comes close to aborder between segments of the image according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of providing the information aboutdisplay quality when the viewpoint comes close to the border between thesegments of the image according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of providing the information aboutdisplay quality when a degree of display quality is less than apredetermined critical level; and

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of the displayapparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail withreference to accompanying drawings. Matters shown in the accompanyingdrawings are referred to in the following descriptions of the exemplaryembodiments and for clarity, like reference numerals or symbolspresented in respective drawings denote like elements, whichsubstantially perform the same functions.

In the following description, if terminologies, each of which includessuch an ordinal number as ‘first’, ‘second’ and the like, are used,those terminologies are used (unless expressly specified otherwise)merely to describe various elements. The terminologies are only used forthe purpose of discriminating one element from other elements. In doingso, the various elements should not be limited by the correspondingterminologies, respectively. The terminologies used in the followingdescription of various exemplary embodiments are applied for purposes ofexplanation only and not for the purpose of limiting the exemplaryembodiments as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

The present disclosure described below with reference to the exemplaryembodiments may be applied to a display apparatus, which provides aimage of content to enable a viewer's viewpoint to be changed through360 degrees.

FIG. 1 illustrates a display apparatus according to an exemplaryembodiment. The display apparatus 1 according to an exemplary embodimentmay be implemented as a television (TV). In other exemplary embodiments,the display apparatus 1 may be implemented as any apparatus capable ofoutputting an image, including, but not limited to a smart phone, atablet personal computer (PC), a mobile phone, a computer, a multimediareproducing device, an electronic picture frame, a digital advertisingboard, a large format display (LFD), digital signage, a set-top box, awearable device such as a smart watch or a head-mounted display (HMD), asmart refrigerator, etc.

In this exemplary embodiment, the display apparatus 1, also shown inFIG. 3, may be implemented as an apparatus which can process a pluralityof image segments to output a image of content. The image of content maybe a 360 degree image having a plurality of viewpoints. Hereinafter, theimage of content may be a 360 degree image. In this exemplaryembodiment, if the image of content is the 360 degree image, the displayapparatus 1 may generate an image 100 that is mapped to the 3D mappingobject. If the 3D mapping object is spherical, the mapped image 100 mayalso be referred to as a “spherical image.” The display apparatus 1processes one region corresponding to a viewpoint 101 a or 101 b fromthe spherical image 100 to obtain an output image 103 a or 103 b, anddisplays the obtained output image 103 a or 103 b on a screen. In theexemplary embodiment, the spherical image 100 may be an image generatedby mapping to the 3D mapping object, a plurality of images, each ofwhich is obtained with respect to different bearings by a camera havingat least one lens mounted thereon. In some cases, the at least one lensmay be a wide angle lens. In this exemplary embodiment, the 3D mappingobject is spherical, but it is not limited thereto. Also, the means forgenerating the spherical image 100 is not limited to thespecifically-explained illustrations. For example, the spherical image100 may be an image generated by a plurality of cameras. The displayapparatus 1 may receive the spherical image 100 from at least one cameraor from an external apparatus, such as a server, a universal serial bus(USB) storage device, a computer, etc. In another exemplary embodiment,the display apparatus 1 may include at least one camera. The displayapparatus 1 may receive, from an external device, a plurality of images,the spherical image 100, and a stitched image (201 in FIG. 2) in which aplurality of images are summed and stitched prior to being mapped in thespherical shape. The received images may be received as a single image,and according to implementations, by segments. Each of the segmentsincludes an image of a region corresponding thereto. Hereinafter, theimage of the region corresponding to each segment is also referred to animage segment. If an image is received by segments, the displayapparatus 1 may process and provide the received image by segments. Ifone viewpoint 101 is located in a region of a not yet received segment,[is 101 a region or a viewpoint??]the display apparatus 1 does notsmoothly provide an output image 103 a or 103 b corresponding to the oneviewpoint 101. Also, if the one viewpoint 101 is located in a region ofa segment having a low resolution, the resolution of the output image103 a or 103 b corresponding to the one viewpoint 101 becomes differentfrom that of the image being watched.

FIG. 2 illustrates a process of processing an image of content accordingto an exemplary embodiment. If the image of content is a content imagehaving a 360 degree viewpoint, an input image 200 includes a pluralityof images, each of which is obtained with respect to different bearingsby at least one camera or by a camera having at least one lens. At leastone image processing is performed with respect to the input image 200 togenerate an output image 207. The at least one image processing may beperformed at the display apparatus 1, but may also, or alternately, beperformed externally, so that processed image is transmitted to thedisplay apparatus 1. As described later, the processed image may betransmitted as a single image, and according to implementations, bysegments (reference numerals 400-405 in FIG. 4). The at least one imageprocessing includes stitching processing, mapping processing, andprojection processing.

The display apparatus 1 maps the input image 200 to a 3D mapping objectto generate a spherical image 100. The 3D mapping object is not limitedto a spherical shape and may include a hexahedron cube or the like.Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of mapping the input image in thespherical shape will be explained. However, this explanation is notintended to exclude other types of mapping processings from the presentdisclosure. The display apparatus 1 then generates a planar image byperforming projection processing, which converts a curved image of aregion, corresponding to one viewpoint 101 from the mapped and generatedspherical image 100, into the planar image, and outputs the generatedplanar image as the output image 207.

In another exemplary embodiment, if the input image 200 is received bysegments 400 to 405, the display apparatus 1 may, after additionallyperforming stitching processing on the input image 200 according toimplementations, map the input image 200 to generate the spherical image100.

The stitching processing is a process which connects (or stitches) theinput image 200 according to the 3D mapping object by using a highdynamic range imaging (HDRI) map method or a cube map method to generatea stitched image 201. If the stitching processing is performed by theHDRI map method, the input image 200 is mapped to an equirectangularimage as an operation before being mapped to a spherical shape. If thestitching processing is performed by the cube map method, sixdirectionally-obtained images are mapped to a cube which is a regularhexahedron. The spherical mapping processing maps the generated stitchedimage 201 to the spherical shape to generate the spherical image 100.

As another exemplary embodiment, the output image 207 may be generatedfrom one region of the stitched image 201 corresponding to the viewpoint101 without going through an operation of generating the spherical image100.

The selection of the one region corresponding to the viewpoint 101according to an exemplary embodiment may be determined by a user. To bemore specific, according to a user input of moving the viewpoint 101while the screen is displayed, the display apparatus 1 determines aregion corresponding to the moved viewpoint 101 from among the sphericalimage 203 and displays a picture or image of the determined one regioncorresponding to the viewpoint 101. A user command of moving theviewpoint 101 (hereinafter, also referred as a “viewpoint movingcommand”) may be received via a remote controller. The display apparatus1 may receive the viewpoint moving command using any of various inputmeans, which, according to implemented methods, include a touch offinger, a movement of HMD, and the like, for example.

The content image according to an exemplary embodiment is transmitted bysegments (400 to 405 in FIG. 4), as described above. The displayapparatus 1 receives the content image by segments 400 to 405 anddisplays an image corresponding to one viewpoint 101 from among thereceived content image. The display apparatus 1 may generate a sphericalimage 100 by stitching an input image 200 received by segments 400 to405 and/or mapping it to a 3D mapping object. Alternatively, the displayapparatus 1 may generate the spherical image 100 by receiving a stitchedimage 201 divided into segments 400 to 405 and mapping it to the 3Dmapping object, and may display an image corresponding to one viewpoint101 from the generated spherical image 100. As another exemplaryembodiment, the display apparatus 1 may receive a spherical image 100divided into segments 400 to 405 and display an image corresponding toone viewpoint 101 from the received spherical image 100. Since thereception state of each of the segments 400 to 405 may be different, allof the frames of the content image may not always have the form offinished stitched image 201 or a finished spherical image 100.

The display apparatus 1 further displays information about the displayquality of an image of at least one viewpoint adjacent to the image ofthe one viewpoint 101 being currently displayed, based on the receptionstates of the respective segments 400 to 405.

The display quality may indicate a degree to which a user can keepsmoothly watching the image when the viewpoint is changed. Thus, thedisplay quality may include includes speeds at which segments,corresponding to viewpoints adjacent to the one viewpoint 101corresponding to the output image 207 being currently displayed(“adjacent segments”), are received. The display quality may alsoinclude amounts by which the adjacent segments are received, times atwhich the adjacent segments can be played, resolutions of the adjacent,and the like, but is not limited thereto. The moving direction of theviewpoint 101 is not limited. The display apparatus 1 may move theviewpoint 101 left and right/up and down/diagonally, or forward andbackward. The movement of the viewpoint 101 may include zooming in andout of the screen. As above, the display apparatus 1 provides theinformation about display quality for the image of the at least oneadjacent viewpoint movable from the output image 207 of the viewpoint101 being currently displayed, thereby allowing the user to move theviewpoint 101 based on the provided information and thus to smoothly usecontents without stopping or the contents being unavailable.

Also, the image of content may be a moving image. In this case, theimage of content may be processed by frames and the display apparatus 1may receive the image of content in units of frames. The segments 400 to405 are thus obtained by dividing one frame into a plurality of regions,and if the image of content includes the 360 degree image, the displayapparatus 1 receives each frame according to the segments 400 to 405.

If the user moves the viewpoint 101 into at least one segment 400 to 405for which an image has not been received or for which an image of onlylow resolution has been is received, the unexpected buffering or lowresolution may prevent the user from watching the image of content ormay make the viewing undesirable. The display apparatus 1 provides theinformation about display quality for the image of at least one adjacentviewpoint adjacent to the output image 207 of the one viewpoint 101being currently displayed (an “adjacent image”). For example, theinformation about the display quality for the adjacent image may includespeeds at which adjacent segments are received, amounts by which theadjacent segments are received, times at which the adjacent segments areplayable, resolutions of the adjacent segments, and the like.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a display apparatus according toan exemplary embodiment. The display apparatus 1 according to anexemplary embodiment includes a receiver 300, an image processor 301, adisplay 303, and a controller 309. The display apparatus 1 according toan exemplary embodiment may further include at least one of a user inputreceiver 305 and a storage 307. The configuration of the displayapparatus 1 according to an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG.3 is merely an example and may be implemented in configurations otherthan that illustrated in FIG. 3. In other words, the display apparatusaccording to an exemplary embodiment may be implemented as includingadditional elements other than those illustrated in FIG. 3 or byremoving any one from among the elements illustrated in FIG. 3.

The receiver 300 receives an image signal including an input image 200.The receiver 300 may be provided with a tuner for receiving the imagesignal. The tuner may tune to a broadcast signal of any one selected bythe user from among a plurality of channels. The receiver 300 mayreceive the image signal by segments 400 to 405 from a server via aninternet. As an example, the receiver 300 includes a communicator forcommunicating with an external apparatus.

The communicator may include a connector for wired communication. Theconnector may transmit and receive signals/data according to standards,such as a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a HDMI-consumerelectronics control (HDMI-CEC), a USB, a component and so on, and mayinclude at least one connecting part or terminal corresponding to therespective standards. The communicator may perform wired communicationwith a plurality of servers via a wired local area network (LAN).

The communicator may be implemented in any of many other communicationways beside the connector including the connecting part or the terminalfor wired communication. For example, the communicator may include aradio frequency (RF) circuit for transmitting and receiving a RF signalto communicate wirelessly with the external apparatus, and may beconfigured to communicate using one or more protocols, such as wirelessfidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth (BT), Zigbee, ultra-wide band (UWM),wireless USB, and near field communication (NFC).

The user input receiver 305 receives a user input to transmit to thecontroller 309. The user input receiver 305 may be implemented as any ofvarious types of input according to the method of the input. The userinput receiver 305 may be implemented as, for example, a menu buttoninstalled on an outer side the display apparatus 1, a remote controlsignal receiver to receive a remote control signal corresponding to theuser input from a remote controller, a touch screen provided on thedisplay 303 to receive a touch input of user, a camera to sense agesture input of user, a microphone to recognize a voice input of user,a sensor to sense a movement of user, or the like. The user inputincludes a viewpoint moving command. Based on the viewpoint movingcommand, the display apparatus 1 changes a region corresponding to theviewpoint 101 and displays on the display 303, an output image 203corresponding to the changed region from the spherical image 100.

The storage 307 is configured to store various data of the displayapparatus 1. The storage 307 may be provided with a non-volatile memory,such as a flash memory, an erasable programmable read only memory(EPROM), an electrically erasable and programmable read only memory(EEPROM) or the like, The storage may further include a volatile memory,such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or a static random accessmemory (SRAM), having faster read or write speed than the non-volatilememory.

The image processor 301 performs image processing with respect to theimage signal of the input image 200 received via the receiver 300 andoutputs the processed image signal to the display 303 to display theoutput image 203. Under the control of the controller 309, the imageprocessor 301 may perform the image processing with respect to a regioncorresponding to one viewpoint 101, from the input image 200, togenerate the output image 203. Also, if the viewpoint 101 is moved, theimage processor 301 generates an output image 203 of a regioncorresponding to the moved viewpoint 101. The image processor 301 may beimplemented as one or more hardware and/or software modules or acombination thereof. The viewpoint 101 is determined according to a userinput, as described above.

As another exemplary embodiment, the viewpoint 101 may be determinedbased on information about display quality for the segments 400 to 405.For example, when the viewpoint 101 is moved to a region correspondingto a one or more segments for which a degree of the display quality isless than a predetermined level according a viewpoint moving command ofthe user, the display apparatus 1 may not further move the viewpoint 101in spite of the viewpoint moving command of the user. At this time, thedisplay apparatus 1 may instead, transmit a request to an externalserver, which is transmitting the image by segments, to preferentiallytransmit the one or more segments of the region to which the user istrying to move the viewpoint, thereby preparing for additional viewpointmoving commands of the user.

The display 303 displays the output image 203. Implemented types of thedisplay 303 are not limited, and the display 303 may be implemented byany of various types of display, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD),a plasma display panel (PDP), a light emitting diode (LED) display, anorganic light emitting diode (OLED) display, a surface-conductionelectron-emitter, a carbon nano-tube, a nano-crystal display, etc.

If the display 303 is an LCD, the display 303 includes an LCD panel, abacklight unit to supply light to the LCD panel, a panel driving boardto drive the LCD panel, and so on. The display 303 may be alsoimplemented as an OLED panel, which is a spontaneous emission panel,without the backlight unit.

The controller 309 performs control needed for operating all theelements of the display apparatus 1. The controller 309 may include acontrol program for controlling to perform the control operation asdescribed above, a non-volatile memory in which the control program isinstalled, a volatile memory in which at least one control program isloaded, and at least one microprocessor or central processing unit (CPU)for executing the loaded control program. The control program mayinclude at least one program which is implemented in the form of atleast one of a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), a device driver, anoperating system, a firmware, a platform, and an application program(application). As an exemplary embodiment, the application program maybe installed or stored in advance in the display apparatus 1 duringmanufacturing, or installed in the display apparatus 1 based on datareceived form an external source while in use. The data of theapplication program may be downloaded to the display apparatus 1 from anexternal server, such as, for example, an application market or thelike.

As an exemplary embodiment, the controller 309 controls the imageprocessor 301 to change a resolution of an output image being displayedbased on information about the display quality for segments 400 to 405within which one viewpoint 101 is located. For example, if the viewpoint101 is located in a first segment 404 having a resolution of 720 pixels,and the viewpoint is then moved to a second segment 401 having aresolution of 480 pixels, such that a portion of a region correspondingto the viewpoint 101 includes the first segment 404 and another portionof the region includes the second segment 401, the controller 309 maycontrol the image processor 301 to allow the output image 203 to havethe lower resolution of 480 pixels, to provide consistency.

FIG. 4 illustrates an image of content divided in a plurality ofsegments 400 to 405 according to an exemplary embodiment. As anexemplary embodiment, the controller 309 displays an image 410 of oneviewpoint 101 from the image of content received by segments 400 to 405and displays information about the display quality of adjacent images,based on reception states of the respective segments 400 to 405. Forexample, the controller 309 may display information about displayquality for segments 400, 402, 403, 404 and 405 different from a segment401 in which the current viewpoint 101 is located. As described above,the image of content is received by segments 400 to 405 as the inputimage 300, the stitched image 201, or as the spherical image 100, viathe receiver 300. In the drawing, for the sake of convenientillustration, the plurality of segments 400 to 405 of the sphericalimage 100 are illustrated as being received, but the image receivingmethod of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. As describedabove, the display apparatus 1 may generate the spherical image 100 byreceiving the stitched image 201 by segments 400 to 405 and mapping itto the 3D mapping object. Also, regions corresponding to the pluralityof segments 400 to 405 in the spherical image 100 are limited toillustrations in the drawing.

If the image of content is a 360 degree image, data thereof is fairlylarge. However. An amount of data that can be processed per unit time bythe receiver 300 is limited. To optimize a user's viewing, thecontroller 309 may request a server to transmit a segment 401corresponding to a region (screen) being watched by the user or segments400, 402 and 404 of viewpoints adjacent to the current viewpoint 101 inpreference to other segments 403 and 405. The server transmits the imageof content by segments 400 to 405 taking into account the request of thedisplay apparatus 1, the data processing speed of the display apparatus1 and the like. At this time, the segments 400 and 402 having a lowerorder of priority may be transmitted in a low resolution depending onthe network state. The order of priority of the segments 400 to 405 maybe determined by various conditions, including an analysis forimplementation aspects of other users, the intention of producer ofcinematographic work, a network state, a position of current viewpoint101, among others.

Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of providing informationabout display quality will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings. The information about display quality may beprovided in many ways, which include displaying a user interface (UI)including at least one item corresponding to a degree of display qualityfor at least one of the segments 400 to 405, displaying a textindicating the degree of display quality, displaying at least a portionof the screen to have a size or color corresponding to the degree ofdisplay quality on and so on. Hereinbelow, for the sake of convenientillustration, some exemplary embodiments from among various exemplaryembodiments will be described, but the present disclosure is not limitedthereto.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of providing a UI 500 including at leastone item having a size corresponding to a level of display qualityaccording to an exemplary embodiment. The controller 309 according to anexemplary embodiment may display the UI 500 on the display 303. The UI500 includes a plurality of items having sizes corresponding to levelsof display quality, respectively. The UI 500 includes a plurality ofarrows indicating adjacent viewpoints, respectively. The arrows maypoint to the corresponding adjacent viewpoint. Although in the drawing,speeds in which segments 400 to 405, corresponding to the adjacentviewpoints, are received have been displayed, the present disclosure isnot limited thereto. The size of each arrow may correspond to a level ofthe display quality for the corresponding adjacent viewpoint. Forexample, if a speed in which the a segment is received is 100 mb/s, acorresponding arrow has a large size, if the speed is 50 mb/s, acorresponding arrow has an intermediate size, and if the speed is 5mb/s, a corresponding arrow has a small size. Displaying the speeds ofthe segments 400 to 405, corresponding to the adjacent viewpoints, arereceived and the sizes of the arrows for the adjacent viewpoints asdescribed above are merely illustrations and the present disclosure isnot limited thereto.

If a viewpoint moving command for moving a viewpoint 101 in a direction503 toward a segment 402 having receiving speed of 5 mb/s is receivedfrom the user, thus causing the controller to move the viewpoint 101 tobe located at a border between two segments 401 and 402, a firstportion, corresponding to a first segment 401 is smoothly displayed, buta second portion, corresponding to the second segment 402 isincompletely received, so that an output image is not displayed well.

As the second portion from among the image corresponding to the movedviewpoint 101 b is located within the second segment 402, an order ofpriority of the second segment 402 gets higher. The display apparatus 1requests an external server to preferentially transmit the secondsegment 402 based on the order of priority of the second segment 402.According to the request of the display apparatus 1, the speed at whichthe second segment 402 is downloaded is made faster. As the speed atwhich the second segment 402 is downloaded is changed, the displayapparatus 1 provides a UI 501 in which the size and/or the text of anitem, i.e., the arrow 506 of the adjacent viewpoint corresponding to adirection indicating the second segment 402, are changed. The drawingsof FIG. 5 are merely provided by way of examples, and shapes and sizesof the segments 401 and 402 are not limited to those illustrated in thedrawings.

FIG. 6 illustrates another example of providing a UI 600 including atleast one item having a color or shading that corresponds to the levelof display quality according to an exemplary embodiment. Although in thedrawing, playable times of segments 400 to 405 indicated by arrows aredisplayed, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The UI 600 mayinclude a plurality of arrows, each having a color or shadecorresponding to a display quality. As an example, the controller 309may display in a first color or shade, an arrow indicating an adjacentviewpoint located in an adjacent segment for which the display qualityis a first level and may display, in a second color or shade, an arrowindicating an adjacent viewpoint located in an adjacent segment forwhich the display quality is a second level different from (i.e., higheror lower than) the first level. The controller 309 may display in athird color or shade, having a tone or shade between the first color orshade and the second color or shade, an arrow indicating an adjacentviewpoint located in an adjacent segment for which the display qualityis a third level, between the first level and the second level. Thethird color or shade may include a color having a predetermineddifference in color from a first color and a second color. Thepredetermined difference in color may be determined based on how muchthe third level is different from the first and the second levels. Forexample, if the first level is 1 minute, the first color may be a whiteof R: 255, G: 255 and B: 255, and the second level is 1 second, and thesecond color may be a black of R: 0, G: 0 and B: 0, the third color maybe a grey of R: 122.5, G: 122.5 and B: 122.5 having the same differencein color from the first and the second colors when the third level is 30seconds. In the drawing, for the sake of convenient illustration, thereis illustrated only an example in which arrows corresponding todifferent display qualities have different contrasts, but the presentdisclosure is not limited thereto.

The colors of the arrows may be determined and stored corresponding todisplay qualities in advance. Alternatively, the colors of the arrowsmay be graded from one color to other color according to levels ofdisplay quality after two colors corresponding to the highest degree andthe lowest degree of display quality, respectively, are determined.

According to another exemplary embodiment, an arrow indicating anadjacent segment in which an adjacent viewpoint is located may have morethan two colors according to the distance between a current viewpoint101 and the adjacent segment. For example, if the current viewpoint 101is located in a first segment 404 and is a given distance away from asecond, adjacent, segment 401 of the adjacent viewpoint, the controller309 may display a portion of the arrow indicating the second adjacentsegment 401 in a first color corresponding to the display quality of thefirst segment 404 and display the remainder of the arrow in a secondcolor corresponding to the display quality of the second segment 401. Inthis case, the border between the first color and the second color maybe divided and displayed to correspond to the given distance or may bedisplayed so that it is naturally gradated between the first color andthe second color.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of providing information about displayquality on edges of a display corresponding to directions towardadjacent viewpoints. According to this exemplary embodiment, the shadingof each of the edges is made to have a size corresponding to the degreeof the display quality of the corresponding adjacent viewpoint. Thecontroller 309 may provide the information about the display quality asthis shading of the edges corresponding to the directions towardadjacent viewpoints. As an example, the controller 309 may displayshadings 700, having thicknesses corresponding to the degrees of thedisplay qualities of the adjacent segments 400 to 405. The thicknessesof the shadings 700 may correspond to resolutions of the correspondingsegments 400 to 405 in which the adjacent viewpoints are located. Forexample, the higher the resolution of the segment in which thecorresponding adjacent viewpoint is located, the thicker the shading 700is made to be. Also, the lower the resolution of the correspondingsegment, the thinner the shading 700 is. The resolutions of the segments400 to 405 and the thicknesses of the shadings 700 as described aboveare merely illustrations and the present disclosure is not limitedthereto.

If a viewpoint moving command is received from a user, and the commandis for moving the viewpoint 101 a in a direction toward a segment of anadjacent viewpoint, the controller 308 moves the viewpoint 101 a. Themoved viewpoint 101 b is located at a border between two segments 401and 404.

A first portion 710 corresponding to a first segment 401 from an imagecorresponding to the moved viewpoint 101 b is displayed in a highresolution. However, a second portion 711 corresponding to a secondsegment 404 from the image is displayed in a resolution lower than thatof the first segment 401. As the moved viewpoint 101 b is located in thesecond segment 404, the order of priority of the second segment 404 getshigher.

The display apparatus 1 requests that an external server preferentiallytransmit the second segment 404 based on the order of priority. Theexternal server preferentially transmits the second segment 404 based onthe request, thereby allowing the second segment 404 to be maintained inthe high resolution. According to another exemplary embodiment, thedisplay apparatus 1 requests that the external server transmit a secondsegment 404 having a high quality of image based on the order ofpriority.

The drawings are merely exemplary, and shapes and sizes of the segments401 and 404 are not limited to those illustrated in the drawings.

FIG. 8 illustrates another example of providing the information aboutdisplay quality on edges of the display corresponding to directionstoward adjacent viewpoints. According to this exemplary embodiment, theedges are made to have colors or shades corresponding to degrees ofdisplay quality for adjacent segments 400 to 405 in which adjacentviewpoints are located. Although in the drawing, the information aboutthe display quality shown on the edges is the number of remaining framesthe adjacent segments 400 to 405, the present disclosure is not limitedthereto. The controller 309 may display shadings 800 to 805 havingcolors or shades corresponding to degrees of display quality foradjacent segments 400 to 405 of adjacent viewpoints corresponding todirections toward edges of image being displayed, respectively. As anexample, the controller 309 may control to display in a first color orshade, shadings 800 and 803 of directions indicating adjacent viewpointslocated in adjacent segments for which the display quality is a firstlevel and may display, in a second color or shade, a shading 805 ofdirection indicating an adjacent viewpoint located in an adjacentsegment for which the display quality is a second level. Also, thecontroller 309 may control to display in a third color or shade betweenthe first color or shade and the second color or shade, a shading 801 ofdirection indicating an adjacent viewpoint located in an adjacentsegment for which the display quality is a third level between the firstlevel and the second level. For example, referring to FIG. 8, the colorsof shadings 800 and 803 corresponding to segments in which the number ofremaining frames is 100 is white, a color of a shading 801 correspondingto a segment in which the number of remaining frames is 50 is gray, anda color of a shading 805 corresponding to a segment in which the numberof remaining frames is 15 is black. For the sake of convenientillustration, the drawing is illustrated so that shadings 800 to 805corresponding to different display qualities have different levels ofcontrast, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of providing an arrow 900 to indicate adirection in which the display quality is high according to anotherexemplary embodiment. To induce a movement of the viewpoint 101 in adirection in which the user can smoothly move the viewpoint 101, thecontroller 309 may display the arrow 900 on the display 303 to indicatea viewpoint in which a segment having a degree of display quality higherthan other segments from among a plurality of segments 400 to 405 islocated.

As another example, the arrow 900 may indicate a viewpoint in which asegment having a degree of display quality lower than that of othersegment from among the plurality of segments 400 to 405 is located.

Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments for a condition in whichinformation about display quality is provided will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings. The information about displayquality for each of the segments 400 to 405 may be provided only when apredetermined condition is satisfied. For example, the predeterminedcondition may be implemented in any of various circumstances, such aswhen the viewpoint 101 is moved, when the viewpoint 101 is fixed, whenthe viewpoint 101 comes close to borders between the segments 400 to405, when the degree of display quality exceeds a predetermined criticallevel, when the degree of display quality is equal to or less than apredetermined critical level, when the degree of display quality ischanged more than predetermined amount, etc. Hereinbelow, for the sakeof convenient illustration, some exemplary embodiments from among thesevarious exemplary embodiments will be described, but the presentdisclosure is not limited thereto.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of providing the information aboutdisplay quality when the viewpoint 101 is moved according to anexemplary embodiment. The controller 309 may not provide any informationabout display quality while the viewpoint 101 is stopped, and may thenthen provide information about display quality 1000 for segments 400 to405 in which adjacent viewpoints are located, respectively, to helpsmooth movement of the viewpoint 101 when the viewpoint 101 begins tomove. As described above, the information about display quality 1000 maybe provided in any of various ways, such as a UI including at least oneitem corresponding to at least one of adjacent viewpoints or segments400 to 405 in which the adjacent viewpoints located, a text, and thelike.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example in which the viewpoint 101 comes close toa border between the segments according to an exemplary embodiment, andFIG. 12 illustrates an example of providing information about displayquality when the viewpoint 101 comes close to the border between thesegments according to an exemplary embodiment. The controller 309 mayprovide the information about display quality when the viewpoint 101moves and comes within a predetermined distance from one of bordersbetween the segments 400 to 405. In other words, if the viewpoint 101moves and comes close to one of borders between the segments 400 to 405to be located therebetween, the controller 309 determines that theviewpoint 101 can move from one segment to another segment and providesinformation about display quality 1200 for segments in which viewpointsadjacent to the viewpoint 101 are located.

As another example, the controller 309 may provide information aboutdisplay quality only for a segment from which the viewpoint 101 comeswithin the predetermined distance. For an example, if the viewpoint 101is located in a first segment 401 and then comes close to a borderbetween the first segment 401 and a second segment 402, the controller309 provides information about display quality for the second segment402. Likewise, if the viewpoint 101 comes close to a border between thefirst segment 401 and a third segment 404, the controller 309 providesinformation about display quality for the third segment 404.

The drawing is merely provided by way of an example, and shapes andsizes of the segments 401, 402 and 404 are not limited to thoseillustrated in the drawing.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of providing information about displayquality when the degree of display quality is equal to or less than apredetermined critical level. To allow the user to smoothly move theviewpoint, the controller 309 provides information about display quality1300 for segments 400 to 405 in which the degree of display quality isequal to or less than the predetermined critical level. As anotherexample, the controller 309 may provide information about displayquality 1300 for segments 400 to 405 in which the degree of displayquality is equal to or more than the predetermined critical level.Although the drawing has illustrated an example of providing theinformation about display quality 1300 in a shading form on an edgecorresponding to a direction toward a segment or segment 400 to 405 inwhich the level of display quality is equal to or less than thepredetermined critical level from among the image being displayed, thepresent disclosure is not limited thereto.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of the displayapparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

At operation S1400, the receiver receives an image of content. Atoperation S1401, the signal processor 301 processes the received imageof content. At operation S1402, the display 303 displays the processedimage of content. At operation S1403, the controller 309 displays animage corresponding to one viewpoint from among the image of contentreceived by segments 400 to 405 and information about display qualityfor at least one segment based on reception states of the segments 400to 405.

Moreover, in the control method of the display apparatus illustrated inFIG. 14, the configuration of the display apparatus 1 explained withreference to FIGS. 1 to 13 may be applied in the same or similar manner.

As described above, according to exemplary embodiments, the displayapparatus may provide the information about display quality for the atleast one segment of the image of content, thereby, if the image ofcontent is a 360 degree image, allowing the user to smoothly move theviewpoint while watching the image.

While exemplary embodiments have been shown and described above, it willbe understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in formand details may be made therein without departing from the presentdisclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display apparatus comprising: a receiverconfigured to receive a plurality of image segments; an image processorconfigured to process the image segments received via the receiver; adisplay configured to display the processed image segments; and acontroller configured to: generate a content image mapped to a threedimensional (3D) object based on the plurality of image segmentsreceived via the receiver; control the image processor to display animage corresponding to a first viewpoint of the generated content image;and control the image processor to display information about a displayquality of an adjacent image of at least one adjacent viewpoint adjacentto the first viewpoint, based on reception states of the image segments.2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display qualitycomprises at least one of a speed in which an image segmentcorresponding to the at least one adjacent viewpoint is received, anextent to which the image segment corresponding to the at least oneadjacent viewpoint has been received, a playable time of the imagesegment corresponding to the at least one adjacent viewpoint, and aresolution of the image segment corresponding to the at least oneadjacent viewpoint.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thecontroller is configured to display the information about the displayquality as text.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thecontroller is configured to display a user interface (UI) including atleast one graphic having a size corresponding to a degree of the displayquality.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlleris configured to display a first color in response to the displayquality being a first level, and to display a second color, differentfrom the first color, in response to the display quality being a secondlevel higher than the first level.
 6. The apparatus according to claim5, wherein the controller is configured to display a third color, havinga shade between a shade of the first color and a shade of the secondcolor, in response to the display quality being a third level betweenthe first level and the second level.
 7. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display an arrowindicating a direction of at least one image segment having a degree ofdisplay quality higher or lower than a degree of display quality ofother image segments.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thecontroller is configured to display the information about the displayquality on an edge of the display corresponding to a direction of theleast one adjacent viewpoint.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the controller is configured to display the information aboutthe display quality on the display in response to the first viewpointbeing moved after having been stopped.
 10. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display the informationabout display quality on the display in response to the one viewpointbeing moved and came within a predetermined distance from a borderbetween the image segments.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the controller is configured to display the information aboutthe display quality in response to a degree of display quality beinglower than a predetermined critical level.
 12. The apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display theinformation about the display quality in response to the display qualitybeing changed more than a predetermined amount.
 13. A control method ofa display apparatus comprising: receiving a plurality of image segments;processing the received image segments; and displaying the processedimage segments, wherein the displaying comprises: generating a contentimage mapped to a three dimensional (3D) object based on the pluralityof received image segments; displaying an image corresponding to a firstviewpoint of the generated content image; and displaying informationabout a display quality of an adjacent image of at least one adjacentviewpoint adjacent to the first viewpoint , based on reception states ofthe image segments.
 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein thedisplay quality comprises at least one of a speed in which an imagesegmenta segment image corresponding to the at least one adjacentviewpoint is received, an extent to which the image segmentcorresponding to the at least one adjacent viewpoint has been received,a playable time of the image segment corresponding to the at least oneadjacent viewpoint, and a resolution of the image segment correspondingto the at least one adjacent viewpoint.
 15. The method according toclaim 13, wherein the displaying the information about the displayquality comprises displaying a degree of display quality as text. 16.The method according to claim 13, wherein the displaying the informationabout display quality comprises displaying on the display, a userinterface (UI) including at least one graphic having a sizecorresponding to a degree of the display quality.
 17. The methodaccording to claim 13, wherein the displaying the information aboutdisplay quality comprises displaying a first color in response to thedisplay quality being a first level, and displaying a second color,different from the first color, in response to the display quality beinga second level higher than the first level.
 18. The method according toclaim 17, wherein the displaying the information about display qualitycomprises displaying a third color having a shade between a shade of thefirst color and a shade of the second color in response to the displayquality being a third level between the first level and the secondlevel.
 19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the displaying theinformation about the display quality comprises displaying an arrowindicating a direction of at least one image segment having a degree ofdisplay quality higher or lower than a degree of display quality ofother image segments.
 20. The method according to claim 13, wherein thedisplaying the information about the display quality comprisesdisplaying the information about display quality on an edge of thedisplay corresponding to a direction of the least one adjacentviewpoint.